Senior Optical Engineer, R&D
CleraOn-site - San Francisco, California, United StatesPosted 2026-11-06
- This listing's locations
- On-site - San Francisco, California, United States
- Employment
- Full-time
- Workplace
- On site
- Compensation
- $150000–200000 per year
Department: Engineering
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About the Role
Join a defense technology team developing autonomous directed-energy systems. You will lead optical design and investigations for hardware platforms, applying strong optical judgment to help deliver robust systems beyond the lab.
What You'll Do
- Lead optical design and analysis for core system components.
- Drive optical investigations, trade studies, and system-level design decisions.
- Specify and evaluate optical components and subsystem architectures.
- Partner with mechanical engineers on optical packaging, housing, and integration.
- Perform tolerance analysis, validate performance, and guide design iterations.
- Lead or support alignment, characterization, and testing of integrated optical systems.
- Work with vendors and fabricators on manufacturability, tolerancing, and component feasibility.
- Establish practical approaches for optical development, validation, and technical documentation.
What We're Looking For
- Typically 5 to 10 or more years of senior-level experience in optical engineering, optical design, or related physics-based systems work.
- Demonstrated experience designing and analyzing optical systems built and operated as real hardware, including precision alignment, characterization, and hardware debugging.
- Ability to apply optical theory from first principles and lead investigations that inform system-level decisions.
- Experience with optical components and subsystem architectures, vendor collaboration, tolerance analysis, and performance validation.
- Experience collaborating with mechanical engineers on packaging, housing, and integration.
- Relevant experience may include high-power laser optics, ruggedized beam delivery, beam directors, collimators, fast steering mirrors, adaptive optics, or laser communications terminals.
- Experience with Zemax/OpticStudio or Code V, and 1-micron Yb fiber laser systems, is valuable.
- BS or MS in Optical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
Compensation & Benefits
Base salary: $150,000 to $200,000 annually. Visa sponsorship is not available.
Location
On-site in San Francisco, California.